House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on Tuesday lost three votes in his bid to become House Speaker, and his ability to successfully lead the GOP caucus is now in serious doubt.
This is not, of course, the first time that rebellious Republicans have tossed one of their leaders overboard, as the party ousted former Rep. John Boehner as House Speaker in 2015.
Writing on Twitter, Politico reporter Heidi Przybyla highlighted a passage from Boehner's memoir, which was published in 2021, where he shed some light on what animates the hardline caucus of the contemporary Republican Party.
"What they're really interested in is chaos," wrote Boehner. "They want to throw sand in the gears of the hated federal government until it fails and they've finally proved that it's beyond saving."
Boehner also highlighted the role that Fox News and other right-wing media played in this role by essentially rewarding Republicans who work to sabotage any effort at governance.
"Every time they vote down a bill, they get another invitation to go on Fox News or talk radio," he explained. "It's a narcissistic -- and dangerous -- feedback loop."
Currently serving Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) made a similar observation on Fox News Tuesday morning, where he accused Republican rebels of being shameless publicity hounds who are only seeking attention.
